NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________

Study Guide and Intervention

Division Properties of Exponents
Divide Monomials To divide two powers with the same base, subtract the exponents.

Quotient of Powers For all integers m and n and any nonzero number a, = .

Power of a Quotient For any integer m and any real numbers a and b, b 0, ( ) = .

Example1: Simplify . Assume that no
Example 2: Simplify ( ) . Assume that no
denominator equals zero. denominator equals zero.
4 7 4 7 3 3
= ( ) (2 ) Group powers with the same base. 2 3 5 (2 3 5 )
2 ( ) = Power of a Quotient
32 (32 )3
41 72
= ( )( ) Quotient of Powers 3 3
23 ( 3) (5)
=ab 3 5
Simplify. = 2) 3
Power of a Product
(3)3 (

The quotient is 3 5 8 9 15
= Power of a Power
276
89 9
= Quotient of Powers
27
8 9 9
The quotient is .
27

Exercises
Simplify each expression. Assume that no denominator equals zero.
55 5 4 2y7
1. 2. 3.
52 2 14y5

3 3
6 22 44 4
4. 5. ( ) 6. ( )
4 32 2

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NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________

Study Guide and Intervention (continued)

Division Properties of Exponents
Negative Exponents Any nonzero number raised to the zero power is 1; for example, (0.5)0 = 1. Any nonzero
number raised to a negative power is equal to the reciprocal of the number raised to the opposite power; for example,
1
63 = 3 . These definitions can be used to simplify expressions that have negative exponents..
6

Zero Exponent For any nonzero number a, 0 = 1.

1 1
Negative Exponent Property For any nonzero number a and any integer n, = n and = .

The simplified form of an expression containing negative exponents must contain only positive exponents.

Example: Simplify . Assume that no denominator equals zero.
4 3 6 4 3 6 1
162 6 5
= (16) ( 2 ) (6 ) ( 5 ) Group powers with the same base.

1
= 4 (3 2 )( 6 6)( 5 ) Quotient of Powers and Negative Exponent Properties

1
= 4 5 0 5 Simplify.

1 1
= ( 5 )(1) 5 Negative Exponent and Zero Exponent Properties
4
5
= Simplify.
45
5
The solution is 45.

Exercises
Simplify each expression. Assume that no denominator equals zero.
0
22 4 ( 1 )
1. 23 2. 5 3. 4 1 2

2
40 (61 ) 3 3
4. 2
5. (2 )4
6. (2 3 )1

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